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Monday, May 21, 2012

Courage

This post might have been better titled "Guts" or the possibly the marginally sexist "Balls," but I love a good reference, so I went with a classic.

This post is a little bit about personal philosophy. It's about taking risks, and doing it right.

I'd been thinking about getting my first tattoo for some time, but had been worried about, among other things, what would happen if I didn't like it, or, if it would prevent me from getting work. I decided to get the tattoo, and, I eventually chose the above.

There are a lot of meanings that can be read in to it, but, ultimately, it's the Triforce of Courage.

Now, I'm not the sort of person who wears badges to show corporate allegiance. Unless it's a really great design, no way am I wearing some company's logo on a shirt, patch, etc., and it'll take far more for me to do anything like that as a tattoo.

I'm not going to permanently mark my body with something , no matter how clever it is, without there being something personal and meaningful. I could wax nostalgic, philosophical, and maybe even political about how Ocarina of Time (and, by extension, the Triforce) has been a part of my life for nearly two decades, but, that's only half of it.

There are a ton of places that could have worked. The classic ones: shoulder, forearm, calf, etc. There are any number of places one could get a tattoo that would only be visible if you wanted to show them off (or, could at least be covered if they needed to be). I was tempted, but, then I remembered what I was getting.

For the unenlightened of you, the Triforce is a symbol that's only on the back of one's hand. This one represents courage. In the immortal words of one wrinkly green puppet, "Do, or do not." Or, in my own philosophy, "Never half-ass something: Do it right, or don't do it."

I couldn't very well get a symbol of courage, but then be scared who might judge me for doing so.

So, here I type, with a hurting left hand, lightly covered in salve, and with the first marks that haven't been the result of surgery or mistakes, with this reminder in my peripheral vision.

This reminder to myself, for those moments of doubt, when I'm not sure if I really want to take a risk, that I shouldn't be worried. This reminder to do what I love to do. This reminder to do what I believe in, and to be ready for the consequences.